kith
noun/kɪθ/
Etymology From Middle English kitthe (“kinsmen, relations”), from Old English cȳþþ, cȳþþu (“kinship, kinsfolk, relations”), from Proto-Germanic *kunþiþō (“knowledge, acquaintance”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know”). Cognate with Old High German kundida (“kith”), kundī (“knowledge”), Gothic 𐌺𐌿𐌽𐌸𐌹 (kunþi, “knowledge”). More at couth, -th.
- Alack, would that Edward listened more to me and less to the queen’s kith! These Woodvilles!1843, Edward Bulwer[-]Lytton, The Last of the Barons, London; New York, N.Y.: George Routledge and Sons […], →OCLC:
- The demography-crossing thing that undergirds this election year, I think, is a strong, broad desire to punish Clinton and his kith with a denial of further power.2000 August 3, Michael Kelly, “New Hope For Nice Guys”, in Orlando Sentinel, archived from the original on 18 Jun 2013:
2
Northern England, Scotland, Usually An acquaintance or a friend.
3
Usually A person who is not related to a child but has social connections to the child's family, especially when considered as a caregiver or possible caregiver for the child.
- The Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (the society) seeks an order finding the child in need of protection and placing him in the care and custody of a kith, H.O., for a period of six months, subject to terms of supervision by the society. [Footnote:] ‘[K]ith’ refers to a community member such as a family friend or neighbour who agrees to provide care to a child until the child can safely return home.2024 May 14, W. Kapurura, “Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto v. A.M., 2024 ONCJ 235”, in CanLII, retrieved 30 May 2026:
- Synonyms
- friend, acquaintance
- Derived terms
- kith and kin, kithfolk, kithless